Public health encourages people to eat well, stay active, and avoid harmful behaviors. These activities are all examples of this focus area
What is health promotion?
This professional investigates disease outbreaks and works to stop them from spreading.
Who is an epidemiologist?
This value reflects public health’s commitment to stopping disease before it starts through education, policy, and community action.
What is prevention?
This practice keeps restaurant kitchens clean and reduces food-borne illness.
What is food safety inspection?
Public health students, especially those hoping to go to grad school, should build strong connections with these people early on
Who are their professors?
Unlike clinical care, public health focuses on this group rather than individuals.
What are communities or populations?
These professionals work directly in neighborhoods and communities, connecting residents to health resources, educating them, and helping to improve local health outcomes.
Who are community health workers?
This core value focuses on ensuring all people—regardless of background—have a fair and just opportunity to be healthy.
What is health equity?
This public health achievement led to a 50% drop in motor-vehicle deaths by implementing seat belts, airbags, and safer road design.
What is injury prevention / traffic safety interventions?
Engage directly with communities by volunteering or interning to help build skills, discover your strengths, and learn how to put your abilities to use in public health careers.
What is gain real-world experience?
These are the non-medical factors, like housing, education, and income which influence a person’s health more than clinical care.
What are the social determinants of health?
People who are curious, compassionate, and driven to improve the health, wellbeing, and equity of communities often pursue this role, studying disease, health systems, and populations to make a positive impact.
Who are public health students?
This value emphasizes working together across sectors—like healthcare, schools, and community organizations—to improve population health.
What is collaboration?
This global effort, completed in 1980, is still the ONLY human disease ever fully eradicated.
What is smallpox eradication?
It’s helpful for public health students to follow news, research, and global health trends to stay informed, learn from what’s happening in different parts of the world, and be better prepared to address emerging issues.
What is stay up to date on current events?
One major goal of public health is eliminating these health differences caused by social and economic disadvantages.
What are health disparities?
Professionals in this field influence laws, regulations, and programs that shape population health at the local, state, or national level.
Who are health policy workers?
This core value emphasizes making decisions using the best available research, data, and science.
What is evidence-based practice?
This waterborne disease was famously mapped by John Snow in 1854, helping launch modern epidemiology.
What is Cholera?
Future public health majors are often told to build these supportive connections with professors, mentors, and peers.
What is networking?